Green Steps - Home - Connecting you with nature
“An understanding of the natural world is a source of not only great curiosity, but great fulfillment”.
- David Attenborough
An age appropriate hands-on curriculum exploring the relationship between you, me and the planet.
Our ecological system is close to a tipping point of a no return climate change. It is now that we must act.
By taking small and gentle steps towards changing the way we interact with nature.
It is the spirit of the child that can determine the course of human progress and lead it perhaps even to a higher form of civilization.
- Maria Montessori
1. Experience
Experience starts with a direct interaction with the subject of study. By being personally engaged, our whole self is actively involved in the process of understanding. It is more than just an intellectual activity, it involves senses, feelings and personality.
2. Share
Through collective exchange of ideas we can understand a wider picture of a phenomena. We practice listening, respect and tolerance to others. By using appropriate terminology to describe what we experience we build our vocabulary and communication skills.
3. Process
The information gathered helps to create a model, using abstract thinking we conceptualize a phenomenon. We try to understand the cause and consequences, the timeline and the key elements that shape a situation. This develops visualization, creativity and critical thinking.
4. Generalize
Exploring perspectives for what we are learning, finding the relation with others and the planet, we develop our ecological mindset and get a sense of the big picture, the interconnectedness of things and what Maria Montessori calls cosmic intelligence.
5. Apply
Apply what has been learned to other contexts. Combine several areas of knowledge to create new solutions. Engage with the surroundings, develop a sense of belonging and become an active member of the community, build a better future.
Our goals for 2021
Join our events as
Shanghai Wetlands: an ecosystem to protect
Environment
Nature is not a museum to be admired from a distance. While we all can understand how crucial some areas are, we have to establish a connection in order to truly take care of those places, fully understand their value, and finally commit to preserving it. Dianshan Lake is the only natural lake in the Shanghai area, its health is crucial for over 25 million people, and for over 400 avian species, including endangered shorebirds.
BEHIND GREEN STEPS: ANNA RIGILLO
Team Intro
Find yourself travelling the World, find the World in a magical place in the middle of nothing. Is this enough to summarize the mind behind the ARK design? Definitely not! You still need to read more about service design, roller skating and, of course, a passion for nature and sustainability. Get to know Anna!
2021, Year of the OX: fun facts about oxen
Fauna
Lunar New Year is widely celebrated by people all around the globe, especially in East Asia and Southeast Asia. In many cultures, it is the most important festival that denotes the beginning of a new calendar year. 2021 is the Year of the Ox, the second of the 12-year periodic sequence of animals. While welcoming the new year, why not learn some interesting stories not only about oxen, but also bulls, cows, and more?
